by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 2, 2022
Are you looking for tack, horse blankets, boots, breeches, knick-knacks or other equestrian and farm items? Or do you want to get rid of same?
Tack sales are gearing up in Hunterdon County to benefit therapeutic riding organizations. Now is the time to drop off items at Riding With Heart and Mane Stream.
For Riding with Heart, bring donations to the RWH farm, 639 County Road 513, Pittstown from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and noon-3 p.m. on Saturdays. Call (908) 735-5912 before you come so staff knows when to expect you.
Email tacksale@ridingwithheart.org to schedule a different drop-off time or a pick-up for a big donation within an hour drive. All donations are tax deductible.
The tack sale will be held Oct. 8 (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) and Oct. 9 (Noon-3 pm.) when most items will be half-price.
Mane Stream’s sale at 83 Old Turnpike, Oldwick, will be held from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 6. Before then, drop off your items or call for a pick-up. Contact Jen at (908) 439-9636 or email to jen@manestreamnj.org.
Proceeds go toward Mane Stream’s mission to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives.
A tack sale also will be held at the Kevin Babington benefit show Oct. 2 at Duncraven in Titusville, Mercer County. Tack may be dropped off the week before the show at the stable, 1300 Trenton-Harbourton Road. Those who need to drop off tack before that should contact show manager Nancy Wallis at (908) 256-3386.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 30, 2022
Sabine Schut-Kery wowed the world aboard Sanceo at the Tokyo Olympics last year, where the combination clinched a historic silver medal for the U.S. dressage team and finished fifth individually in the freestyle.
Last night, without an equine partner, she wowed the crowd during Dressage at Devon, giving pointers in a masterclass to a select group of riders in a clinic that fascinated her audience as twilight descended over the historic arena on Philadelphia’s Main Line.
Silva Martin and Farouche. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
While she demonstrated star power on her own two feet, we’re looking forward to seeing her once again ride Sanceo. The 16-year-old stallion was missing from this year’s world championships after sustaining an injury in Florida that meant he couldn’t qualify for last month’s competition in Denmark.
It was, she recalled after her clinic, “so unfortunate, the timing.”
Now, “He’s coming back to work,” but “he’s not back to full work because we’re always so careful with him.”
I wondered whether he might make the FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha next April.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not going to predict anything anymore. I’m going to take it day by day. In the end, he’s going to tell me.”
What happened this year gave her a dose of reality.
“I stopped making plans,” she said.
But in terms of Omaha, Sabine added, “Hopefully, there will be enough time” to qualify. We’ll see. That would be super fun.”
It certainly would be a big draw for fans. Only two riders, Steffen Peters and Debbie McDonald, have ever won the Cup finals.
Devon’s Saturday night freestyle is the first North American qualifier for the competition in Omaha, but qualifying will continue over the winter.
The six riders in the Devon clinic performed for Sabine the day before, so she could get to know them.
“I could see a little bit and pick some of the movements that I thought would be good for each horse,” said Sabine.
“I think we have some really amazing horses coming up,” she added.
One is Farouche (Foundation X Carpalo II), who was ridden by Silva Martin earlier in the day to an impressive victory in the four-year-old Young Horse class, earning 87.600 percent with marks of nine for the trot, submissiveness and general impression. She went on to take the Young Horse Championship.
Sabine Schut-Kery appraises Silva Martin and Farouche as they work. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Commenting during the clinic sponsored by Show Plus powered by Captive One, Sabine cited the expressive Westfalen mare’s elegant trot with its suppleness and elasticity. As she looks forward to Farouche’s five-year-old season, the objective is to ask for more engagement with the mare’s hind legs, not letting her simply run forward.
Sabine had Silva perform a serpentine and some leg yields on the diagonal. There is a reason it is important to stretch forward and downward, rather than downward and forward, Sabine emphasized. Going forward opens up the back, she said.
Team veteran Olivia Lagoy-Weltz was up on the eight-year-old gelding Johnny Be Goode by Dream Boy. When the horse was tight in the new environment, Sabine said the answer was to “ride him more and more from your legs.”
Olivia Lagoy-Weltz and Johnny Be Goode. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
The bend in the half-pass ended up a little too much in the reins, so the answer was to “just do a little bit leg yield and get him a little bit more on your leg.”
Making the canter pirouette bigger “so it becomes a habit and something he can rely on” avoids having him come behind the rider’s aids.
“I don’t over-collect when I get into the pirouette, carrying the hind legs forward into the collection” said Sabine, who was looking for “equal push power as carrying power.”
Olivia was pleased by the experience of being in the clinic. “I love dressage at Devon. Anything to support Dressage at Devon. It’s a great opportunity to get the horses fabulous experience and get some fabulous feedback from Sabine, who’s an amazing rider, teammate and trainer.” Olivia hopes to bring a group of her riders back next year, and perhaps compete with Johnny.
The next rider, Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel, offered a contrast to the horses that had gone previously when she presented a 12-year-old Lusitano stallion, Fantastico by Perito.
Felicitas von Neumann-Cosel on Fantastico. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Sabine pointed out while Felicitas was riding a circle that making it smaller means “you can really ride with your legs in the turn and your horse has less chance to speed up and go fast.”
The idea is “to teach the horse what it means to push through the body from the rider’s leg. I always like doing a lot of turns and bending lines.”
Turns “really help to get the horse on the leg and not so flighty from the leg.” Another piece of advice for the canter, “Be committed to the tempo.”
Alice Tarjan rode the statuesque seven-year-old Summersby II (Sezuan X Sandro Hit) who was a bit tense. Sabine put her on a 15-meter circle to relax on the leg. Then she let her stretch, but cautioned it is necessary to keep the balance even while stretching.
Alice Tarjan and Summersby II. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
It’s important to ease a horse through tension so it doesn’t become a habit, Sabine said, pointing out riders should take time for that, so they’re not putting the movements in on top of the tension.
Jim Koford was aboard Adeline, a mare he bought after seeing her advertised on Facebook. “She’s a Facebook warmblood,” he joked.
You never would have guessed she was by a Friesian stallion out of a saddlebred/paint mare.
Adeline also reflected some tension, so Sabine advised in cases like this perhaps using a short spur, which means the horse be can ridden from the leg with subtle pressure before reacting to the spur. Another suggestion: “Think ahead of the horse,” in other words, plan your ride.
Jim Koford and Adeline. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
She had Jim ride a 20-meter circle putting Adeline on a haunches-in and from there a shoulder-in to a haunches-in.
Jim called the clinic “an amazing opportunity” for schooling.
“It’s such an electric environment, and there were a lot of people there today. It was amazing to go in there and take the pressure off, let the horse take a deep breath.
“I was delighted. My mare came back to the stall so proud of herself. It was an amazing opportunity to work with Sabine and have ring familiarization in a non-pressure situation so I wasn’t over-riding. It was just what I needed and she needed,” he said of his mount,.
Jim has just started the Intermediate II with her and hopes to come back next year and compete.
Canadian rider Jaimey Irwin had quite an advanced horse in Simsalabim (Sir Donnerhall II X Akzent II) who did some nice work in piaffe and passage. Sabine discussed giving walk breaks as rewards in addition to a pat, pointing out that they can be useful in another way, too.
Jaimey Irwin and Simsalabim. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Every time I walk, I kind of think I’m in the test in the sense of making it really, really correct. The back opens up if the nose comes a little forward.”
She talked about rebalancing through a quarter-pirouette if the horse gets on its front end. “Push her sideways until she takes a little bit more weight.”
Make a decision based on what your horse feels like, not just what you’re being told to do.
Jaimey agreed with Jim about the value of the experience.
“It’s a perfect opportunity to bring in horses like mine who haven’t had a chance to compete under the lights in an atmosphere. Let them go in and find their relaxation and confidence in a situation like that and be guided by Sabine.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 28, 2022
Tim Price of New Zealand, the number three-ranked eventer in the world, has just joined the lineup of the Mars Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill Oct. 13-16.
The world championships double bronze medalist will face off against world number one Oliver Townend of Great Britain in the competition, which made its debut last year. The 2021 winner, U.S. world championships team silver medalist Boyd Martin, will be riding in the 3-star at the competition, not the 5-star, which means he can’t defend his title.
The FEI entries close Frida, so who knows if there may be another superstar joining these riders and Great Britain’s Harry Meade, as well as France’s Astier Nicolas.
On the U.S side, Will Coleman, star of the silver medal team at the world championships this month, is going to be appearing, along with Doug Payne, top U.S. finisher in the Olympics last year; Buck Davidson, Liz Halliday-Sharp, Tamie Smith and many other names you will recognize.
Want tickets? Go to this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 21, 2022
The Masters’ Chase has become an autumn tradition, offering an afternoon of amateur racing, stick pony racing for kids, an antique car exhibition and tailgating, presented by the Countryside Alliance of the Somerset Hills.
Tailgating is a fun part of the Masters’ Chase. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
It will be held Oct. 8 at Natirar, a park that was once a private estate, on Main Street in Peapack, N.J. Gates open at noon and races start at 2 p.m. General admission is $40/car.
The mission of the Countryside Alliance is to perpetuate an understanding of the country way of life, maintaining and preserving the history and traditions of hunting with horses and hounds in the Somerset Hills and to educate the public on the proper care and breeding of hounds as well as horses.
For more information on entering the competition and reserving tailgating spaces, go to www.countrysidesh.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 26, 2022
Sale Johnson, who owned several of the USA’s top international show jumpers in the late 20th Century, has died at the age of 73 in Jupiter, Fla., after battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
The horsewoman was an active rider as well as an owner. Karen Murphy recalled getting to know Sale when her family moved to New Jersey’s Somerset Hills from Union County.
“She was super welcoming,” Karen recalled.
“We did the Essex Foxhounds hunter pace. She was like a little kid, she was so excited about it, and I was a kid, I was 11 or 12. We thought that was a big deal and it was really fun,” said Karen, who called Sale “really generous of spirit.”
Born Nancy Sale Frey in St. Louis, Mo., Sale operated her equestrian interests out of a farm in Bedminster, N.J., and was known not only as a rider, but also a golfer and philanthropist who was concerned about the welfare of animals.
A natural athlete, Sale was a leader in basketball, softball, volleyball, swimming, field hockey, and tennis. She toured nationally on the junior tennis circuit and swam in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) ranks.
At the University of Miami, she captained the varsity tennis team as a freshman. After graduation, Sale worked in real estate marketing in Miami, and served as an advisor to the Miami County School Board’s Distributive Education Program, where she helped young adults gain skills to prepare for their vocations.
In 1982, Sale moved to New York City, where she was devoted to numerous charitable and community efforts, such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Morris Animal Foundation, the Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the Lupus Research Alliance.
Her main area of philanthropic interest was autoimmune research, particularly diabetes and lupus, two diseases that affected her immediate family. With her daughter, Casey, who died in 2010 of complications from diabetes, she co-authored “Managing Your Child’s Diabetes,” published in 1994.
She was honored for her philanthropic endeavors with several awards, including the Achievement Award for Volunteer Service from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as the Rosenwald Award for Outstanding Philanthropy.
An accomplished golfer, she won several championships in that sport. Her involvement with horses included her own riding experience and extensive involvement as a patron of the sport.
Michael Matz rode her horse, Heisman, who was the number one U.S. qualifier for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Sale also owned The General, who won team bronze and individual gold with Michael at the 1995 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires. Following the retirement of her two stallions, Heisman and Golan, she ran an international horse breeding business out of the farm in Bedminster.
Sale, who died Sept. 8, is survived by her siblings, Alan and Jimm; her children, Jaime and Ava; her granddaughter, Maeve Shulman, and two ex-husbands; New York Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad.
Donations may be made in Sale’s memory to the Lupus Research Alliance, https://www.lupusresearch.org/.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 26, 2022
The Spring Valley Hounds, which began in the New Vernon section of Harding Township, N.J., were scheduled to be hunting in a joint meet with the Amwell Valley Hounds from the Spring Valley Showgrounds Oct. 2 to commemorate the 100th year of the township’s founding.
Due to inclement weather, the meet has been postponed to Nov. 13.
The municipality was created in September 2022 from portions of Passaic Township following a referendum, and named after U.S. President Warren G. Harding. The area was once semi-rural, but as it developed, Spring Valley moved most of its operations north to Allamuchy, where there is more open space. For the last three years, however, Spring Valley has hunted in New Vernon once a year.
At the meet, Tim Brogan will be donating the scarlets that belonged to his late grandfather, Bill Keegan, a longtime supporter of Spring Valley, “in the hope of paying them forward for future riders who get their colors with SVH.”
